Tales From The 'Verse
by Winter Sapphire
Summary: A project I did for school. A 'Fireflyed' Canterbury Tales prologue, with all nine characters described in Chaucer's poetic style.


Okay, so... I wrote this for an English project for _The Canterbury Tales_. We had several projects to choose from, but I chose the writing assignment – I had to write the prologue and describe at least eight characters. I chose Firefly.

I posted this on as well, but I figured I'd post it here at to.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Firefly and Serenity belong to the brilliant Joss Whedon.

* * *

The sky was dark on that dreary, cold day 

As I searched for a ship to grant my pay.

I was fussy – had to find the right one

When the clouds parted and gave way to sun;

It illuminated the tarnished boat

I doubt anyone would not want to gloat.

I forced my way to talk to the barker

And found myself, frankly, quite fond of her.

The Mechanic she was, best at her game

I doubt anybody could be the same.

The ship's name, I learned, was _Serenity_ –

A suiting name with her amenity.

I secured my passage on the warm ship,

Sought out the people I'd meet on this trip.

Mechanic included, there were nine souls

(They had strange tales, some with Alliance moles).

There was a Soldier, the Captain's right-hand,

Her wacky husband – talked about "This Land" –

Who was the Pilot, and loved his wife heaps,

And a Shepherd, though he herded no sheep.

A Mercenary, a man they called Jayne –

He did not have much by way of the brain.

A Companion, too, clearly high class.

She was respectable – none could surpass.

They had a Doctor, calm and reserved;

His sister, an Enigma, quite unnerved.

A hardened war veteran topped off the crew

He went whatever way that the wind blew.

The Captain of _Serenity_, I'm told

Fights the law, giving them blow after blow.

As I sit and watch this makeshift fam'ly

Something becomes quite apparent to me.

They are all walking the very same path –

Though with different manners – on this spacecraft.

Their destinations they are not quite sure

But together they walk it and will endure.

* * *

The Mechanic would love a strawberry –

Her name's Kaywinnit Lee Frye, or Kaylee.

An amazing woman she is for sure

Any bad mood she can easily cure.

Her golden-brown hair falls to shoulder height

And her smile is radiantly bright.

She talks plainly and will never digress,

And she sometimes wears a fluffy pink dress.

Normally, though, she wears her coveralls

(Though at first she wore near nothing at all).

She was offered a job and found her place

Riding on _Serenity_ here in space.

The ship to her is like a fine, rare pearl;

She sighs to her always – "That's my good girl."

Heart and soul of this Firefly-class ship,

Any other mechanic she'd outstrip.

* * *

There was a Soldier, too, Zoë Alleyne

Now Zoë Washburne, or so says her ring.

She follows the Captain from near and far

Since Serenity Valley, star to star.

With rich chocolate skin and dark fine hair,

Earthy tones and deep eyes, so very fair.

Her face, though, shows close to no emotion –

Her eyes reveal any rare commotion.

A stoic warrior in danger's face

Even with Reavers on the edge of space.

She adores her spouse, odd couple they craft

But what can she say – he just makes her laugh.

Honorable and courageous she be

She will always fly, she wants to be free.

* * *

Her better half is a kookier sort

Hoban Washburne's his name, flying's his sport.

He is the Pilot, flies the ship full course

Picks up waves and attempts to speak in Morse.

Though call him Hoban, you might want to rush;

Hoban is his name, but he prefers Wash.

He's a strange man with his Hawaiian shirts,

And he swiftly found out that torture... hurts.

Cobalt blue eyes remain still when in flight

Voice so soft-spoken, as if there's no fright.

When danger's passed, he gives a quirky grin.

He twirls to his dinos and states, "I win."

He spends time with his wife, oh what hard work.

(He truly doesn't mind; it does not irk).

He's a leaf on the wind, soars like one too

Without him, there'd probably be no crew.

* * *

A Shepherd is there by the name of Book –

An older gentleman and a good cook.

He is a man of God, I am certain,

Though there's more to him, behind the curtain.

His hair's usually held in a bun,

Though when it's not it can get quite fun –

It gets an Einstein quality to it

(He must be careful – it might squash his wit).

He says strange things, but it's all full and well

When he threatens folk with his "special hell."

This dark-skinned man is no typical guy,

But with us he is, and with us he flies.

* * *

The Mercenary can be awfully crude

He speaks without thinking, and hoards the food.

This man is Jayne Cobb, an odd name for sure

And Jayne Cobb is, by no means at all, pure.

He's good with his violence, I suppose;

He could kill you by just hitting your nose.

He's quite a man with stubble on his chin,

His bulging muscles and his quite rough skin.

Upon his head sits a hand-knitted hat

It is rather cunning, and all of that.

When he's disturbed, he will be in his bunk

Though he has considered being a monk.

(I was pleased to know it was just a joke

That he had with the Shepherd when they spoke.)

He's a sadistic man of this era

Just get on his good side – don't touch Vera.

That gun is his most prized possession

I think it's near time to end this section.

* * *

Inara Serra is a fine woman –

A Companion, she can weaken a man.

Graceful she is, in her own special way.

Fluid are her movements, words they convey.

Rich chocolate hair falls elegantly down

Gracing her shoulders, and touching her gown.

Quite shiny, stylish clothes she wears each day

(Or none at all, when she gets her pay).

Men fall for her hard when she is with them

They believe she rigs up time to cheat them.

She does own a black vile and syringe

The sight of which just makes me want to cringe.

What secrets does Inara hold within?

Might she be atoning for some past sin?

Despite all this, she is part of the crew

Though the Captain will claim that it's not true.

In a tough spot it is her he will call

She has mentioned about a Geisha doll.

She knows how to set guns better than most

But she'll always run – she must flee her ghosts.

* * *

The Doctor on board is a bizarre one

He is a fugitive – he's on the run.

His love for his sister got in the way –

Rescued her a year to this very day.

Doctor Simon Tam is what he goes by

And he has a sort of sarcastic wry.

Once in Capitol City, Osiris

He gave up his job for his little sis.

He is the most proper of this odd crew

He has clean-cut suits and his eyes – so blue.

Late at night, his dark hair falls in his face

Always working at such a rapid pace.

With this crew, his work is cut out for him;

Sometimes his sarcasm makes him seem prim.

He did, however, make a full proof plan

Though Jayne ruined it, the ignorant man.

The top three percent of his graduate class

Though if offered to fight he will quickly pass.

But overall, he's a decent young Doc

Even though he's the target of Jayne's mock.

* * *

His sister, although, is the strangest one

Inara and Book could not hold a gun.

She babbles nonsense, so it seems to me,

Though it holds a slight truth, a frightened plea.

"Two-by-two, hands of blue," she tends to chant

Before she does her nonsensical rants.

Information she can easily glean

And when she dances she is so serene.

Stringy brown hair floats all around her form

Kaylee's hand-me-down clothing she has worn.

They fit her loosely, but she doesn't care.

They help her feel safe, amid all her scare.

Her brother to her is like a pillar –

She's shown the potential to be a killer.

Her brain was cut up, amygdala stripped

Into emotional mayhem she slipped.

She is a true psychic, this River Tam

Hopefully soon she'll be no longer damned.

* * *

The captain is Captain Malcolm Reynolds;

Resentment towards the Alliance he holds.

He remembers those days in that valley

As if it had happened just yesterday.

He wears overalls and buttoned shirts,

Even on occasion his long brown coat.

A sort of sadness fills his light blue eyes

"Everyone is alone, the day they die."

He likes when jobs go according to plan

Even if he gets a full body tan.

His family's his crew, that much is for sure

He must keep them alive, he must ensure.

Serenity Valley, he lost his faith

The dreadful day alliance took that place.

The war for independence he has lost

He knows full well what that valley has cost.

His only goal is to keep on flying;

He will press on, and continue trying.


End file.
